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The WOCN® Society established a WOCN Fellow Program to recognize the excellence of nurses who have made outstanding contributions within the WOCN Society and/or WOC nursing profession, reflective of education, research, public policy and advocacy, membership engagement, and quality improvement. This honorable designation is based on clinical expertise, leadership, scholarly experience, and contributions to the profession and healthcare systems. WOCN Fellows contribute knowledge and expertise to shape the WOC nursing practice.
About WOCN Fellows | About Honorary Fellows | Fees | Important Dates
We are proud to offer two categories:
WOCN Fellow: Recognizes nurses who have demonstrated exceptional commitment and made significant contributions to the WOCN Society and the WOC nursing profession. Candidates for this category must be members of the WOCN Society. Additional criteria and qualifications are below.
WOCN Honorary Fellow: Honors individuals who have made distinguished contributions to advancing healthcare, science, and health equity within the field of WOC nursing. Candidates for this category are not eligible for a regular WOCN Fellow category (i.e., is not a nurse, is no longer certified, is deceased, is not a member of the WOCN Society, etc.). Additional criteria and qualifications are below.
This category recognizes nurses who have demonstrated exceptional commitment and made significant contributions to the WOCN Society and the WOC nursing profession.
Applicants must meet the following minimum requirements at the time of application:
- Minimum of 5 years of WOCN Society membership at the time of application (not including years as a student member).
- Minimum of 5 years of continuous certification in good standing at the time of application in one or more of the WOC nursing specialties. Applicants with CFN or WTA-C credentials are ineligible unless they also hold another WOCNCB certification.
- Minimum of 5 years of professional experience acquired as a practitioner in the WOC nursing specialty.
Applicant self-assessment
The following section is designed to help aspiring applicants assess their qualifications and readiness to be considered for WOCN Fellow recognition. During the application process, applicants will be required to provide written responses to the following areas of inquiry:
- Provide examples that demonstrate expertise and impact within WOC nursing education, research, evidence-based practice projects, public policy and advocacy, quality improvement, and membership engagement.
- Provide examples of conducting evidence-based and/or data-driven projects to improve and impact patient care, safety, health outcomes, health system processes, or education processes.
- Demonstrate evidence of going beyond the “ordinary” WOC nurse role and making a significant impact to advance the WOC nurse role.
- Demonstrate evidence of dissemination of knowledge that demonstrates the value and impact of the WOC nurse role and related activities.
Application process
Completing the Application
- Review the Eligibility criteria carefully to confirm you meet all minimum requirements for membership, certification, and professional experience before continuing.
- Review the Self-Assessment questions to evaluate your readiness and qualifications for Fellowship.
- Enter your responses directly into the textboxes provided. File uploads or external attachments are not accepted.
- If copying content from Microsoft Word or another program, use Ctrl + C to copy and Ctrl + V (Windows) or Command + V (Mac) to paste. Review your entries carefully to ensure no formatting code appears.
- Adhere to the word limits provided for each section and essay. Word count indicators are included throughout the form.
- Save your work frequently. The system will automatically log out after a period of inactivity, and unsaved work will be lost.
Application Content Guidance
- Begin by completing the CV Template sections.
- Review the Applicant Guidance Document for detailed explanations related to each essay question.
- Each essay addresses a distinct evaluation area; responses should be concise, focused, and aligned with the specific requirements of the essay.
Submission
- Review your entries for completeness and accuracy before final submission.
- Confirm that two (2) letters of reference have been submitted directly by your referees.
- Once submitted, your application will be locked for editing. You will receive a confirmation email verifying successful submission.
Reminder
Take time to thoughtfully prepare and review each section. The WOCN Fellow designation recognizes nurses who have demonstrated exceptional commitment and made significant, enduring contributions to the WOCN Society and the WOC nursing profession. Your application is an opportunity to reflect the depth and significance of your professional contributions.
Use of AI Statement
Applicants may use AI-assisted tools to support organization, grammar, or formatting of their fellowship materials; however, AI should not be used to generate content or create original responses. All narrative statements, examples, and evidence of impact must reflect the applicant’s own work, voice, and professional achievements. The use of AI should be limited to enhancing clarity and presentation, not replacing authentic authorship or insight.
Responsibilities of WOCN Fellow
- Individuals selected as WOCN Fellows must attend (in person) the induction ceremony held during the WOCNext 2026 in Indianapolis, IN.
- Continue to further the mission, vision, and values of the WOCN Society.
- Mentor novice and other nurses/clinicians to successfully contribute to the growth of the WOC nursing specialty.
- The inductee is responsible for nominating at least one (1) deserving and qualifying individual each year.
- Maintain membership with the WOCN Society and pay the annual Fellow fee by the established deadline and at the rate established by the WOCN Society Board of Directors.
ABOUT WOCN HONORARY FELLOW CATEGORY
An Honorary Fellow is an individual whose distinguished service to WOC nursing benefited science and healthcare in advancing and promoting health equity and social justice. The candidate made outstanding contributions to the advancement of the WOCN Society and WOC specialty nursing as evidenced by:
- Long-term involvement in national and/or local leadership positions,
- Support and mentorship of WOC nurses,
- Development of innovative programs for support of wound, ostomy, and/or continence practice, and/or
- Sustained or significant contributions to the evidence base of WOC nursing practice through publications and/or research/evidenced-based projects.
Eligibility Criteria for An Honorary Fellow Nominee:
- Is not eligible for a regular WOCN Fellow category (i.e., is not a nurse, is no longer certified, is deceased, is not a member of the WOCN Society, etc.).
- Must consent to be nominated unless circumstances preclude such consent.
- Is nominated by two WOCN Fellows in good standing. WOCN Fellows in good standing may annually sponsor a total of two Fellows, in a combination of regular and/or Honorary Fellow candidates.
Application process
The entire application process is conducted via an online portal. Only current WOCN Fellows are allowed to submit nominations for the Honorary Fellow category. The nomination will include the following components:
- Name of Honorary Fellow nominee
- Names of WOCN Fellow nominators (must be in good standing)
- Each of the two nominating WOCN Fellows must submit a letter of support. Nominating Fellows must be knowledgeable of the candidate’s outstanding contributions to the advancement of the WOCN Society and WOC specialty nursing.
- The letters of support must consist of the following two sections:
- The general information includes information about education history; certification/credentials; leadership positions; speaking engagements; awards and honors; and any additional information that is considered relevant. If information is not available, the nominators must state why such as no access to a CV.
- The essay must provide evidence of the nominee’s expertise and impact within:
- WOC nursing society and education, health system processes, and/or educational processes;
- Advancement of the WOC nurse role;
- Research and/or evidence-based practice projects;
- Public policy/legislation and advocacy;
- Quality improvement to impact patient care, safety, health outcomes, and health system processes;
- Dissemination of knowledge (publications, presentations, etc.) that demonstrates the value and impact of the WOC nurse role and related activities.
- Application fee: $275.00 (non-refundable)
- Once inducted, annual Fellow’s dues are $350.00 plus the cost of annual WOCN membership (Society membership is required). These fees do not apply to individuals inducted into the WOCN Honorary Fellow category.
- Application deadline is 11:59 PM Eastern Time on January 30, 2026.
- Incomplete/late applications will not be considered.
- Candidates will be selected and notified by the end of March 2026.
- WOCN Fellows will be inducted at a special recognition event at WOCNext 2026.